Couch convertible into beds



July 9, 1963 J. F. [NCO 3,096,528

coucn CONVERTIBLE INTO BEDS Filed Sept. 1, 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 1N VENTOR.

l8 JOSEPH E INCO July 9, 1963 J. F. [NCO 3,096,528

COUCH CONVERTIBLE INTO BEDS Filed Sept. 1, 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 t\ M" k Q Q m? INVENTOR.

(7055 E IVCO July 9, 1963 Filed Sept. 1, 1961 J. F. [NCO COUCH CONVERTIBLE INTO BEDS 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR.

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United States Patent Filed Sept. 1, 1961, SB!- No. 135,615 2 Claims. c1. -28) This invention relates to couches, and particularly to those that can be converted into beds.

In couches of this character, it has been common to extend the seat and back to form a single or double bed, the head rest portion corresponding to the seat of the couch. The mechanism for folding the foot portion of the bed underneath the seat of the couch, and for extending it, is usually quite complex and expensive.

The present invention contemplates the provision of a pair of foldable frames that form supports for cushions, the bed extending lengthwise of the couch.

It is accordingly one of the objects of this invention to simplify such couch structures.

It is another object of this invention to provide a double cushion couch, each cushion being capable of separate use when the couch is converted to a double bed.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a back frame for a couch which when the couch is converted to a double bed, serves as a rest contacting the floor, for one portion of the bed frame.

It is another object of this invention to provide a folding frame structure that has spring and cushion parts superimposed when the structure is used as a couch, and that provide side-by-side frames for the cushions when in extended position.

This invention possesses many other advantages, and has other objects which may be made more clearly apparent from a consideration of one embodiment of the invention. For this purpose, there is shown a form in the drawings accompanying "and forming a part of the present specification, and which drawings, unless described as diagrammatic, or unless as otherwise indicated, are true scale. This form will now be described in detail, illustrating the general principles of the invention; but it is to be understood that this detailed description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, since the scope of this invention is best defined by the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a pictorial view of a sofa or couch incorporating the invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view, taken along a plane corresponding to lines 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a still further enlarged sectional view, taken along a plane corresponding to lines 33 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4is a plan view of the structure illustrated in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a view partly in vertical section, illustrating the couch in extended position to form a double bed;

FIG. 6 is a pictorial view of the couch as extended in'FIG. 5, but with the cushions omitted;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged detail section taken along a plane corresponding to lines 77 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary plan view of the couch extended to bed forming position, the cushions being omitted;

FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken along a plane corresponding to lines 99 of FIG. 8;

'FIG. 10 is a view similar to FIG. 9, but showing the parts in alternative position; and

FIG. 11 is a sectional View taken along a plane corresponding to lines 11-11 of FIG. 9.

As shown most clearly in FIGS. 1 and 2, the couch includes an upper cushion 1 and a lower cushion 2, appropriately made of foam rubber or the like, with a ICC fabric covering thereover. These cushions extend longitudinally along the sofa or couch and are in superposed relation. The upper cushion 1 and the lower cushion 2 occupy generally the position illustrated in FIG. 2, while the couch is in its normal seating position.

The couch is also provided with arm rests 21 supported in a manner to be hereinafter described, as well as back cushions 23.

The lower cushion 2 rests upon an horizontal flange 3 of a lower frame 4. This frame is appropriately made of angle irons joined at the corners in any conventional manner, the angle irons overlapping at the corners. Lower frame 4 is supported on the floor 18 as by the aid of the legs 5 fastened at the corners of the frame 4. A network of wires 6 (FIG. 8) is joined at spaced points to the horizontal flange 3 by the aid of the tension springs 7a. The wire network 6 and the springs 7a form a spring support for the cushion seat 2.

. Superposed in spaced relation to the lower frame 4 is an upper frame '7, of the same general construction as frame 4. This upper frame 7 has a horizontal flange 13. Its vertical flange is directed downwardly when in the folded position of FIG. 2. A wire network 9 is arranged similar to the wire network 6 and is joined to the horizontal flange 13 by the aid of the tension springs 8. (See FIG. 8.)

The two frames 4 and 7 are pivotally joined together so that the frames may assume a side-by side relation as illustrated in FIGS. 5, 6, and 8. For this purpose, as shown most clearly in FIGS. 8, 9, 10, and 11, use is mad-e of links 10 pivoted respectively by the pins 11 and 12 to the adjacent vertical flanges of the frames 4 and 7. In the extended position shown in FIG. 9, the lower surfaces of the links approach closely to the horizontal flange 3' of the lower frame 4 and the horizontal flange 13 of the upper frame 7.

In the folded position of FIG. 10, the link 10 is vertical and corresponds to the position of the frames when the couch is used in a conventional manner. In this position, the end surfaces of the link contact the horizontal flanges.

Furthermore, as shown most clearly in FIG. 8 and FIG. 11, the vertical flanges at the adjacent sides of the two frames 4 and 7 are cut away in order to permit room for the link structure.

In the position of FIG. 2, a fabric layer 14 is superimposed above the wire network 9. This fabric member is connected to the series of springs 8, along one longitudinal edge of the frame 7 (FIGS. 5 and 7). As shown in FIG. 2, these springs 8 which connect to the edge of the fabric 14 are attached to the rear edge of the frame 7, so as to exert a tension on the fabric member as well as on the network 6. Furthermore, at this rear edge, there is provided a skirt 14a (FIGS. 2 and 7) which overlies these rear springs 8 when the frames are superimposed.

The fabric 14 extends over the wire network 9 as well as the springs 8 at the forward edge of the frame 7, when in the position of FIG. 2, and thence downwardly beneath the horizontal flange 3 of the lower frame 4. FIG. 5 shows the front of the fabric member folded to form a loop 15 between the two frames 4 and 7.

The frame 7 carries at its back a U-shaped back support 16, made preferably of a round metal bar, joined to the frame 7 as by welding. This back support is of the appropriate height so that when the frames are in the unfolded position of FIGS. 5 and 6, the upper horizontal edge 17 rests upon the floor 18. This brings the frame 7 to the same level as frame 4. Frame 7 thus forms a continuation of the level of the frame 4, capable of supporting the upper cushion 1, as shown in FIG. 5.

The back structure 16 includes the downwardly directed ends 19 which in the superimposed position of FIG. 2 rest 3 upon the brackets 20. These brackets 20 are attached to the vertical flanges of the lower frame 4 and are shown most clearly in FIG. 6.

The shorter sides of the frame 7 serve to support the arm rests 21, as by the aid .of the screws 22 (FIG. 8) passing through appropriate apertures in the vertical flange of the frame 7.

The removable cushions 23 rest against the structure 16 and on top of the cushion 1.

A fabric cover 25 (see particularly FIGS. 8, 9, and 10) overlies the upper surface of each of the links 10.v They may be held in place in any appropriate manner, as by the rings 25a passing through openings in the vertical flanges.

In order to convert the couch to a convertible bed, as shown in FIG. 5, the cushions 23 are removed. The top cushion 1 is also removed and the frame is extended to the position of FIG. 6. The two cushions can then be placed side by side respectively on their supporting frames. In this extended position, the lower edges of the arm rests 21 do not touch the floor, as shown, for example, most clearly in FIGS. and 6.

When the cushions are in the superimposed relation of FIG. 2, and when the couch is in use, a quite heavy bending load may be imposed on the upper frame 7, especially at the front edge thereof. A stiffening bar 7 b intermediate the ends serves in a minor way to resist the sag.

In order to provide a further strut support for the upper frame 7, use is made of a strut 27 (FIGS. 3 and 4). This strut extends between the horizontal flanges 3 and 13 of the frames and. is pivotally mounted on a pin 28 passing through the vertical flange of the lower frame 4. This pin 28 has a continuation forming a handle 29 by the aid of which the strut 27 may be lowered to the phantom line position of FIG. 3. In this position, the strut is out of the way of the cushion 2 in the extended position of FIG. 5.

The inventor claims:

1. In a convertible couch structure: a pair of hingedly connected rectangular frames, whereby one may be moved from a side-by-side position to a juxtaposed position and from a juxtaposed position to a side-by-side position; said frames each carrying a wire-spring network; means for supporting one of the frames above the floor; a back structure attached to the other frame and serving to form at least a part of the couch back, said back structure having an upper surface cooperating with the floor to support the said other frame adjacent said one of the frames; a pair of cushions respectively extending along the frames and in superposed position over said wire-spring network when the structure is used as a couch; and a fabric cover having one end so attached to said other frame that it lies between its spring-wire network and the upper cushion when the structure is used as a couch, said fabric then extending downwardly in front of the lower cushion and in front of and under said one frame where it is attached to a permanently stationary under-portion thereof.

2. The combination as set forth in claim 1 with the addition of a removable back cushion resting against said back structure, the upper cushion serving with said back cushion as a seat.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 24,125 Woller Feb. 28, 1956 324,583 *Okey Aug. 18, 1885 576,020 Bailey Jan. 26, 1897 579,402 Mellon Mar. 23, 1897 870,131 Reddell Nov. 5, 1907 1,426,580 Lundeen et a1 Aug. 22, 1922 1,506,416 Dewey Aug. 26, 1924 1,745,459 Sterbenz Feb. 4, 1930 2,125,940 Martin Aug. 9, 1938 2,646,839 Hillrnan July 28, 1953 2,807,031 Fox Sept. 24, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 287,515 Switzerland Apr. 20, 1950 419,098 France Dec. 26, 1910 535,696 Canada Jan. 15, 1957 

1. IN A CONVERTIBLE COUCH STRUCTURE: A PAIR OF HINGEDLY CONNECTED RECTANGULAR FRAMES, WHEREBY ONE MAY BE MOVED FROM A SIDE-BY-SIDE POSITION TO A JUXTAPOSED POSITION AND FROM A JUXTAPOSED POSITION TO A SIDE-BY-SIDE POSITION; SAID FRAMES EACH CARRYING A WIRE-SPRING NETWORK; MEANS FOR SUPPORTING ONE OF THE FRAMES ABOVE THE FLOOR; A BACK STRUCTURE ATTACHED TO THE OTHER FRAME AND SERVING TO FORM AT LEAST A PART OF THE COUCH BACK, SAID BACK STRUCTURE HAVING AN UPPER SURFACE COOPERATING WITH THE FLOOR TO SUPPORT THE SAID OTHER FRAME ADJACENT SAID ONE OF THE FRAMES; A PAIR OF CUSHIONS RESPECTIVELY EXTENDING ALONG THE FRAMES AND IN SUPERPOSED POSITION OVER SAID WIRE-SPRING NETWORK WHEN THE STRUCTURE IS USED AS A COUCH; AND A FABRIC COVER HAVING ONE END SO ATTACHED TO SAID OTHER FRAME THAT IT LIES BETWEEN ITS SPRING-WIRE NETWORK AND THE UPPER CUSHION WHEN THE STRUCTURE IS USED AS A COUCH, SAID FABRIC THEN EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY IN FRONT OF THE LOWER CUSHION AND IN FRONT OF AND UNDER SAID ONE FRAME WHERE IT IS ATTACHED TO A PERMANENTLY STATIONARY UNDER-PORTION THEREOF. 